I’m not afraid to admit, I’m writing this in tears. I’m not scared to say that I’m crying because today I gave up my best friend. A nine-pound, Jack Russell/Chihuahua cross that I never should’ve brought home in the first place. And if someone had told me what I’m about to tell you, I probably wouldn’t have taken her home.

I won’t soon forget her peppy spirit, her outgoing attitude, and her boundless energy that I could never seem to satisfy. I loved her almost as much as she loved me. “So why would you give her up?” they’d ask. “You’re being selfish!” they’d proclaim. “Would you do this to a child?” Would I do this to a child?

All of this made me question my decision. I thought I was doing the right thing for her. She would be destined for a new home, with a family that could meet her needs much better than I could. But was I being a quitter? Was I giving up on her? Was I letting her down? These questions plagued me, and in some ways, will forever plague me.

Was I being selfish in giving up a dog I couldn’t properly care for? Is it more selfish to keep a dog in a situation where you know she’s living an unfulfilled life or to give her a chance to live the life of her dreams?

When I decided to give her up, the message I proclaimed was loud and clear: “It’s not selfish to give up a pet so that they can be happy. It’s selfish to keep them, knowing that they won’t.” So, college students, I beg you: consider everything. Who’s going to keep Fido when you’re on spring break? What about that dream internship 500 miles away? As exciting as the idea of having a dog in college sounds, know that it is a long term commitment, and the dog’s needs are just as important as your own. And know that if you get the dog, wait and learn these lessons on the way, you might be breaking both your hearts later down the road.

Consider everything. You might need to move, and guess what, you might not be able to take that dog. College years are the years when people are most flexible. They travel. They relocate. They experience new things, and most of these things won’t allow you to bring that dog along.

I’m in no way telling you not to adopt if you’re ready for it. If you won’t be traveling excessively or away from home for 12 hours a day (as I often am) and you can fully commit yourself to a pet, go for it. If your family is close and are willing to take care of the dog while you’re doing your thing, go for it. I have friends who have successfully managed pets (sometimes multiple) and those pets are loved and well cared for (looking at you Katelyn, Todd, and Hailey), but it’s not for everyone. Make sure you consider everything.

As for my puppy, Yola, I hope you’re being good for new family. I hope you show them how loud you can bark on command, how rowdy you get over your shoe toy, and how long you can run in circles. I hope you never forget me, and I hope you know you were loved and I’ll never forget you. You didn’t see me cry often, but when you did, you did everything you could to make it stop. You taught me that anything worth having is worth waiting for, and the next puppy I get will benefit from that.